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Parc Leopold

Park Leopold’s Main entrance on rue Belliard just beyond the Parliament buildings. Set on the edge of the new European Union infrastructures and following on from the Maelbeek Valley, which stretches from the woods at La Cambre and the lakes in Ixelles to square Marie-Louise, this public park is a haven of peace and tranquility in the midst of the bustle of the urban thoroughfare that is rue Belliard.

Location of Parc Leopold:

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Photos of Parc Leopold:

One end of the Park Leopold pond

The district is currently undergoing a total transformation as is obvious from the impressive number of tower cranes around.

The park was originally designed to be used as a zoo, hence the inscriptions visible on each side of the main entrance.

The park was opened in the middle of the 19C and given its current name to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Independence.

This pleasant, peaceful spot has a lake on which it is not unusual to see herons. The park lies on a steep slope and is overlooked by the rear facades of the two wings of the Museum des Sciences Naturelles.

From the other end of the pond

One of the many other species of birds

View across the pond

European Parliament buildings looming in the back

Georges Eastman dentistry institute in the back

Tags: Etterbeek, Parc Leopold, Parks

Chapel of Marie la Miserable
This Gothic chapel, whose origins certainly date from the 14th century, was modified many times until its restoration in 1970. It evokes the moving story - told by the playwright M. de Ghelderode in his play Marie la Miserable (1952) - of a young peasant girl who became the victim of a powerful person whose advances she had spurned. To avenge himself, the rebuffed seducer slipped a valuable vase into her bag, then accused her of theft. Injustly condemned, the young girl was buried alive.

Location of Chapelle de Marie la Misérable:

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Photos of Chapelle de Marie la Miserable

Chapel of Marie la Miserable from the other side

The chapel can be visited daily from 7 am to 6 pm.

Going around into its garden designed by René Pechère

Side of the chapel seen from within its gardens

Tags: Chapel of Marie la Miserable, Chapelle de Marie la Miserable, Churches, woluwe-saint-lambert

Built in 1914 the Greenwich café is the well-known meeting point of Brussels chess players where at any time of day or night multiple groups of players abound inside. The original decor completed in 1916 gives the pub its pleasant and authentic feel, where probably little changed from the time Magritte apparently frequented the place. A great place to relax in a calm environment while playing or simply watching a good game of chess.

Location of the Greenwich café:

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Photos of Greenwich café

Approching the pub with its outside terrace

The tables in the middle are reserved for the chess players

Closer look at the chess players

Corner view from my seat

The back near the toilets

The Greenwich seen from all the way in the back

Tags: bar, cafe, chess, Greenwich

Le Botanique or the Former Botanical Garden

Since 1983, this complex hosts the Cultural Center of the French-speaking Community of Brussels and Wallonia. It was built in 1826-29 by T.-F Suys and P.-F. Gineste. The monumental structure is typical of XVIllth century orangeries: a central rotunda with a wing on each side, each ending on a pavilion.

The building was enlarged several times during the XIXth century. In 1939 most of the plant collections were transferred to the botanical garden at Meise. Truncated and mutilated after the works of the North-South junction, the former botanical garden was re-arranged according to the drawings of René Pechère.

Location of the Botanique:

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The botanical gardens lie in particularly pleasant surroundings and now host and organise a wide range of special events such as theatrical productions (in the great central rotunda), musical evenings (song, dance), cinema and temporary exhibitions. In September, the gardens play host to Les Nuits Botanique Festival, with numerous pop, rock and soul concerts.

Originally the gardens. which were partly laid out by Charles Henri Petersen, consisted of three terraces overlooking a lake, each in a different style.

way across the pound

The pond of the botanical gardens

They have since been altered slightly as a result of the construction of the Gare du Nord railway station.

the relocation of the plant collection in Meise, the damage caused during the war, and the building of an underpass which decreased the overall area by half.

The old botanical gardens building and its glasshouse

The back of the park

Few of the 52 sculptures that made up the ornamentation designed by Constantin Meunier and Charles van der Stappen, two brilliant late-19C artists, have survived to the present day.

Le laurier sculpture by Julien Dillens

l’olivier sculpture by Leon Mignon

Some of them can still be seen in front of the south façade of the building, including Spring (Hippolyte Le Roy). Summer (C Meunier), Autumn (C Meunier) and Winter (Pierre Braccke) flanking the central glasshouse.

Winter and Fall in the back

La Cigogne by Edmond Lefever

Spring at the forefront and summer in the back

A number of animal sculptures bear witness to the fashion for this new art form in the 1980s. In preparation for the 1958 World Fair. Rene Pechère was commissioned to turn the old gardens into a city centre park open to all.

Central glasshouse building

Finance tower seen in the back

It contains a few superb tree which are sure to delight those with a fondness for arboriculture or a nice spot to relax amongst the urban environment.

Maze of the Botanical gardens

The iris, the symbol of the Brussels-Capital City Region (”Region” because Belgium has been federal state since 17 February 1994), is given pride of place here and from Apri to June there are almost 40 different varieties to admire.

People relaxing on a hot summer day in the park

Tags: Botanical Garden, Botanique, park, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode

The originally neoclassical Cohn Donnay house built in 1841 was redone using the Art nouveau style in 1904 by architect Paul Hamesse. His remarkable changes to the façade were limited to the elegant bow-window and the balcony above it. Inside, he tastefully designed furniture which was perfectly integrated with the architecture. Entrance hall, billiard and chessboard rooms, sitting room, dining room, “poetry room”… each room in the house has its own character, at times influences by the Wiener Secession, at times by Macintosh. Today, it is the brasserie-restaurant l’Ultieme Hallucinatie.

Ultieme Hallucinatie Location :

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Cohn Donnay House Photos:

Ultieme Hallucinatie Facade

Ultieme Hallucinatie’s window and balcony detail

Entrance hall

chessboard room

Billiard room with stained glass windows

Way leading to the brasserie

The Brasserie is built on the location of a former garden

Closer behind the sculpture reveals the original rock wall of the garden

Exterior terrace section of the brasserie

Furniture is made out of old train benches dating from the 1930’s

Bar on the side was where the greenhouse of the garden once stood

Stained glass windows of the former greenhouse now on the ceiling of the bar

Restaurant room

Way leading to the toilets

Toilets

Tags: Art Nouveau, Cohn Donnay House, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Sint-Joost-ten-Node, Ultieme Hallucinatie